Student Life
Chapel
Chapel Talks
The Power of Music
A Lower School chapel talk on the power of music to raise us above the turmoil and to lift our souls.
I love music. In fact, I’m a music geek. I know probably too much about the culture and history of music than most people should. My parents instilled in me a love for the classics: the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac, the B-52’s, and even Iggy Pop. I believe that more people should learn about these because they influence so much of today’s music.
Recently, I have developed an interest in even older classics like Frank Sinatra. I enjoy this music because of the rhythm, style, and swing of it. It all started one day, during winter break when I was building a LEGO set of the Taj Mahal. I had discovered one of those Crosby record players, the kind that has a CD and cassette tape player plus a radio, too. I thought to myself, “Hey, why don’t I listen to music while building a LEGO set? This would be complete and total zen.” I looked over to our hundreds of CDs and cassettes on the shelf and saw a large diversity of music like AC/DC, Supertramp, Ella Fitzgerald, Guns n’ Roses, and the Clash. Then, I saw the CD of Frank Sinatra’s greatest hits. I thought to myself, “I know Frank Sinatra’s music, but I don’t know that much of his music”. So, I grabbed the CD and put it into the CD player. I was instantly absorbed into the music. I continue to listen to that album either while working or playing.
As a music nerd, I like to analyze songs when I hear them, just for fun. I like to focus on the lyrics because they lead the audience to the true meaning of a song. My favorite thing about music is its ability to tell a story. Hearing a story through music is much more interesting and engaging than hearing it through the spoken voice. Music portrays emotion much better than regular dialogue. This is one of the reasons I like musicals so much. I think people often find me pretty annoying because of my love of musicals. The combination of singing, dancing, and storytelling is very entertaining to me. A great example of music telling a story is the musical Hamilton, which has absolutely no spoken dialogue. Hamilton was so revolutionary to Broadway because it mixes elements of hip-hop and R&B into an area that has been dominated by the classic Broadway sound (think A Chorus Line or Annie). I am also, no surprise, a theatre nerd. Not only do I spell “theatre” with the “r” before the “e,” but I also listen to musicals a ton, spending hours discovering old ones and watching new ones. I watch the Tony awards every year, and I dive deep into the themes and motifs of musicals.
One of my favorites is Billy Elliot: The Musical. (Fun Fact: the music in it was actually written by Elton John). It is about an eleven-year-old boy, Billy Elliot, who lives with his father and brother in the mid-1980s during the coal miners’ strike in northern England. Billy’s mother died when he was young; his brother and father are miners who are financially struggling, and he is a school boy who does boxing classes after school. One day, Billy’s boxing teacher asks him to give the keys to the studio to the next teacher using the space. The next teacher, a ballet teacher, mistakes him for being in the class. At first, Billy tries to find his way out of the class, but suddenly it’s his turn to do the dance combination. As it turns out, he has more raw talent than all the girls in the class. After the class, noticing Billy’s talent, the teacher asks Billy if he can continue coming to dance classes. He accepts the invitation and begins to take ballet lessons in private without telling his family.
While Billy is peacefully taking his lessons, strikes are happening in the streets. During one of these moments when the strikers are protesting and Billy is dancing, the song “Solidarity” is performed. Billy’s dance class is on the center of the stage, while the striking miners surround the stage chanting. This scene shows how Billy uses dance as an escape from the turmoil of everyday life. Fast-forwarding, Billy becomes skilled enough that his teacher convinces him to audition for the Royal Ballet School in London and allows him to take free lessons to rehearse. When the day of the audition arrives, police come through the village that Billy lives in and injure his brother. Billy misses meeting his teacher and his train to London. His teacher, concerned, travels to Billy’s house. She reveals to his family that Billy has been taking ballet classes and intends to audition for Royal School of Ballet. His father and brother are not thrilled at all by this and angrily prohibit him from going to the auditions. Six months pass after this humiliating experience and Billy finally builds up enough courage to start dancing again. Unknown to Billy, his father watches him while he dances. Amazed by his skill, Billy’s father goes to talk with the ballet teacher about his son’s prospects as a dancer. Billy’s dad returns to work and talks with the miners to raise money for Billy. Despite resistance from Billy’s brother, the rest of the miners decide to raise the money needed for Billy’s trip to London and his audition. Eventually, Billy is able to make it to his audition. There, he sings a song about how when he dances, he feels as though he is free. He makes it into the school, ensuring his successful future in ballet.
This musical connects to me in two ways: Like Billy Elliot, I take dance lessons and use art and music to escape everyday life. When I listen to music, I let myself bask in a world of imagination safe from the turmoil of life. Just as Billy danced on centerstage while the miners surrounded the stage chanting, I am able to escape and be free of stress while the world and everything in it surrounds me. Art is important in this respect. It is meditative, stress relieving, and it enables my imagination. Art allows the mind to wander in a very fast-paced world. It has the unique ability to express diversity, protest, love, life, friendship, and family.
In a few minutes, we will sing one of my favorite hymns, “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” Listen to the lyrics as you sing. The words tell a story of protest, diversity, life, and love. A passage from Ephesians says, “Be filled with the spirit as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves.” Music has the power to raise us above the turmoil and to lift our souls to imagine a different world. As you go back out into everyday life, look for art. Dance. Listen to music. Take a break from the struggles of everyday life and imagine new possibilities for what life can be.
St. Albans School
Phone: 202-537-6435
Located in Washington D.C., St. Albans School is a private, all boys day and boarding school. For more than a century, St. Albans has offered a distinctive educational experience for young men in grades 4 through 12. While our students reach exceptional academic goals and exhibit first-rate athletic and artistic achievements, as an Episcopal school we place equal emphasis upon moral and spiritual education.